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I taught various iterations of introductory mechanics and classical electrodynamics at Olin. I particularly enjoyed teaching those intro mechanics courses which are delivered in tandem with introductory/intermediate calculus and introductory linear algebra, and those electrodynamics courses which are delivered in tandem with vector calculus.
During the last few years that I was teaching regularly I taught three intermediate-level physics courses (i.e., those which require some version of foundation-level physics as pre-requisite) : Quantum Physics, Relativity, and High Energy Astrophysics.
SCI 2130 Quantum Physics
Quantum Physics is a 4-credit introduction to quantum mechanics that is generally delivered every spring semester, with specific emphasis on its relevance for materials science and solid state electronics. Quantum theory is the most successful description of natural phenomena that physicists have ever devised, but it is so intuitively frustrating that Richard Feynman once famously said: “Nobody understands quantum mechanics!” This course studies the origin and development of quantum mechanics and quantum statistics, with an eye to explaining the structure and characteristics of atoms, molecules, fluids and solids (including semi-conductors). You’ll find that you’ll be able to use quantum mechanics without really “understanding” it, and when you’re faced with the implications of paradoxes like Schrödinger’s Cat and Quantum Entanglement, you’ll begin to appreciate exactly what Feynman meant, and why your concept of “reality” will never be the same!
SCI 2140 Relativity
Relativity is a 2-credit course that was usually delivered in the spring semester of even-numbered years. It is devoted largely to Special Relativity, but some basic tenets and examples of General Relativity are also included. When first introduced, Einstein’s Special Theory of Relativity rocked the foundations of classical physics with a plethora of “paradoxes” such as twins that could have different biological ages. Like riding a bicycle, special relativity can actually be understood without formal physics prerequisites, and this course will be taught from first principles that do not require specialized physics knowledge. This approach will naturally lead to an introduction to General Relativity, with examples that include some of the characteristics of black holes.
SCI 2145 High Energy Astrophysics
High Energy Astrophysics is a 2-credit course that is usually delivered in the spring semester of odd-numbered years. General principles of astrophysics are discussed, with an appreciation for approximation technIques. Students access data from active satellites and utilize the same software tools as do current researchers to investigate high energy spectra and to create images like this one one of the supernova remnant Cas A in X-rays.
The universe is full of hot stuff! The oldest radiation that we can measure directly originated in temperatures of only thousands of degrees, but there is indirect evidence for the early universe requiring temperatures in excess of trillions of degrees. As the universe expands and cools, there are still occasional (but quite frequent, relative to cosmic time scales) episodes involving temperatures of millions or even billions of degrees that are manifested in phenomena like supernovae and black holes. These high energy episodes are not just curiosities - supernovae are responsible for all the chemical elements on Earth more massive than the very lightest, and giant black holes are present at the cores of virtually all galaxies.
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